1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an electric engine, and more particularly, to an electric engine having a torque bearing crankshaft that rotates in ninety degree (90°) increments to align and fire the pistons ninety degrees (90°) apart where only one piston fires at a time and uses the energy from the next piston fired to return to its resting position. The instant invention requires less power than other engines to produce the same output.
2. Description of the Background Art
Given the ongoing gas crisis, gasoline engines are becoming less desirable. Unfortunately, there are limited options. Electric engines provide an option but are not widely accepted because they typically require more power than other engines to produce the same output. One reason is that conventional electric engines only fire once every full cycle, i.e. 360°, making them highly inefficient without any benefit of increased power output. The most efficient torque is obtained at 90°, one-quarter cycle, however, there are no known electric engines that effectively and efficiently harness this torque without unacceptable loss in power output and efficiency. If an electric engine existed that fired pistons at 90° so as to capture the most efficient torque while increasing relative power output at acceptable efficiency levels, it would be well received.
Although a variety of electric engines are known in the art, they fail to adequately address or resolve the above noted issues of the prior art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,338,005, issued to Morch, discloses an electro-mechanical power plant for the generation, conversion and transmission of power. U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,656 issued to Dotson, discloses a reciprocating motor control system for motors having high Q solenoid coils. U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,656, issued to Dotson, discloses a reciprocating type of engine or motor having high Q solenoid coils. U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,367, issued to Ramirez, discloses a magnetically actuated assembly that may be mounted on a reciprocating engine to cycle at least one piston. U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,058, issued to Blalock, discloses an electro-magnetic reciprocating engine and method for converting an internal combustion engine to an electro-magnetic reciprocating engine wherein the cylinders are replaced with nonferromagnetic material and the pistons reciprocally disposed therein are replaced with permanent magnet pistons. U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,174, issued to Angus, discloses an electromagnetic engine having an electromagnet or piston that operates within a cylinder having a stepped bore therein, wherein the cylinder reciprocates while the piston only pivots. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,503, issued to Ward et al., discloses an electric motor having a piston coil that moves reciprocally with respect to one or more field coils. U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,114, issued to Smith, discloses a magnetic reciprocating motor that employs permanent magnets and electromagnets. U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,893, issued to Reynolds, discloses a magnetically actuated engine with a reciprocating piston slidingly mounted with a cylinder and connected to a rotatable shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,372, issued to Hammer, discloses a reciprocating electric motor having a crankshaft driven through connecting rods by piston-like reciprocating members powered by superconducting electromagnets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,349, issued to Gifford, discloses a reciprocating electromagnetic engine having reciprocating pistons with internally mounted magnets, slidingly mounted in a cylinder and connected to a rotatable crankshaft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,004, issued to Jachim, discloses an electric vehicle solenoid motor comprising a crankshaft disposed in a housing, at least one solenoid having a core operatively contacting the crankshaft; a power distribution control assembly disposed adjacent the crankshaft at the location of the protrusion; an electrical power source operatively connected to the solenoid so as to pass electric power through the power distribution control assembly to the solenoid; and wherein the power distribution control assembly has at least one power director disposed about the crankshaft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,036, issued to Pino, discloses a reciprocating piston attached to a rotating crankshaft with a permanent magnet, a cylinder confining the piston that has a head with an electromagnet located therein and a timed switching system that reverses the polarity of the electromagnet, thus alternately attracting and repelling the piston and driving the attached rotating crankshaft. U.S. Pat. No. 6,552,450, issued to Harty et al., discloses a reciprocating engine having at least one cylinder, at least one piston reciprocatingly movable in at least one cylinder, and reciprocatingly moving unit including magnet elements with at least one electromagnet connected with the cylinder and at least another electromagnet connected with the piston, so that when a polarity of the magnet elements is changed, a magnetic interaction of the electromagnets with one another causes the reciprocating movement of the piston. Pursuant to the foregoing, the prior art known fails to an electric engine having a torque bearing crankshaft that rotates in ninety degree (90°) increments to align and fire pistons ninety degree (90°) apart where only one piston fires at a time and uses the energy from the next piston fired to return to its resting position.
The foregoing patents and prior art fail to disclose the instant invention or adequately address the issues associated with conventional electric engines as contemplated by the instant invention. The instant invention addresses these unfulfilled needs in the prior art by providing such an electric engine as described herein.